Alternate Lab
Weather Forecasting Directions
A. Weather and Climate
- Read the "Weather and Climate" article.
- Compare the two maps shown below. The first map shows elevation in the US. The second map shows average temperatures in the US. Answer Questions #1 and #2 in Section A of your packet.
The map below shows elevations in the United States. Click CTR + to zoom in so you can see more closely. CTR - will allow you to zoom out. In this map, brown and white are higher elevations while yellow and green are lower elevations.
The map below shows average temperatures in the United States. Click CTR + to zoom in so you can see the key more closely. CTR - will allow you to zoom out.
- Answer questions #1 and #2 in your packet.
- Click on the "USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map". Click on Michigan on the map.
- Answer the remaining questions in Section A of your packet.
B. Isobars
- Click on the "Project Isobars" site.
- Answer the questions in Section B of your packet.
C. Current Atmospheric Pressure at Sea Level
- Click on the "Weather Graphics" site.
- Scroll to and click on the "Sea Level Pressure – Isobars" map.
- Answer question #1 of Section C.
- Click on the "Sea Level Pressure - IR Satellite" map.
- Answer question #2 of Section C.
- Click on the"Surface Teamperature - With Sea Level Pressure" map.
- Answer the rest of the questions in Section C.
D. Rainfall
- Click on the "Daily Weather Map – Rainfall" site.
- Scroll towards the bottom of the page and click on the "24-hr Precipitation Totals- Day 1" map.
- Click on the "Regional Fronts" link. Compare the rainfall map to the "Regional Fronts" map.
- Answer the questions in Section D of your packet.
E. Satellite Cloud Picture
- Click on the "Regional Fronts" Link to identify where the high and low pressure areas are in the U.S.
- Click on the "Satellite Images" site.
- In the "Infrared" section in the "East CONUS" column to view the Eastern part of the U.S. (The "CONUS" stands for the continental U.S.), click on the "View Loop" link under.
- Answer the questions in Section E of your packet.
F. Jet Streams
- Watch the "Jet Stream Goose Video"
- Click on the "Jet Stream Reading Link"
- Answer the questions in Section F of your packet.
G. Predicting the Weather
- Click on the Current Surface Weather Map. Notice where the warm and cold fronts are located on the map.
- Click on this AccuWeather Blog so that it opens in a new tab. Scroll down until you see a map that looks like the map below. This map shows the jet stream. The blog updates the map so you CANNOT use the map below. You need to use the link and see where the jet stream is today. As you recall, the jet stream moves throughout the year.
- Take some time and toggle back and forth between the Current Surface Weather Map and the AccuWeather Blog Jet Stream map. Try to see if you notice any patterns.
- Answer Question #1 in Section G of your packet.
- Keep the "Current Surface Weather Map" open in one tab and click on the "Satellite Images" site so that it opens in another tab. Under "Infrared" in the "East CONUS" column to view the Eastern part of the U.S. (The "CONUS" stands for the continental U.S.) Click on the "View Loop" link.
- Toggle back and forth between the looping cloud cover map and the surface map.
- Answer the remainder of the questions in Section G of your packet.
Adopted from: https://betterlesson.com/lesson/638300/weather-forecasting-online-activity